Vehicle Inspection Checklist

Pull the unit number from the door decal and the VIN from the dashboard plate. The VIN on the DVIR must match the cab card and registration in the cab — auditors cross-check.

Power on the ELD (Motive, Samsara, Geotab, etc.), log in, and confirm the prior 7 days of logs are visible plus available drive time on the 11/14/70 clocks. If the ELD is malfunctioning, switch to paper logs and notify the carrier within 24 hours per 49 CFR 395.34.

Turn the key to run: confirm oil pressure, voltage, coolant temp, fuel, and DEF gauges read normal and all dash warning lamps cycle and clear. Test horn (city and air), wipers, washer, defroster, heater, and AC.

Steer tread minimum is 4/32" in any major groove; drives are 2/32". Check for cuts exposing belts, sidewall bulges, mismatched sizes, and even wear. Verify cold pressure to the placard (typically 105-110 psi steers) and that no lug nuts show rust streaks or are missing.

Check drive axle tires for tread depth, matching duals, and stones between duals. Look at hub oil sight glasses for level and contamination. On brake chambers, measure pushrod stroke — anything beyond the marked limit (typically 2" on Type 30) is OOS under CVSA.

Look for cracked or shifted leaf springs, leaking shocks, deflated or chafed air bags, loose U-bolts, and frame cracks near the fifth-wheel mount. Check that the exhaust stack and DPF clamps are tight and not leaking under the cab — exhaust leaks into the sleeper are a CO hazard.

Get under the trailer with a flashlight. Jaws must be fully closed around the kingpin shank, locking lever in the locked position, safety latch engaged, and no daylight gap between the trailer plate and the fifth-wheel skid plate. A high hitch is the classic preventable that drops trailers in the yard.

Check air lines for cuts and chafing; gladhand seals seated; pigtail clipped and not dragging. Apply trailer brakes and tug-test forward in low gear against the locked trailer to confirm the coupling holds.

Check trailer tires, brakes, mud flaps, landing gear cranked fully up with handle secured, ABS lamp out after rollout, and rear lights functional. For flatbed: verify load securement per Part 393 Subpart I — working load limits, edge protection, and tie-down count for cargo length. For reefer: confirm set point, fuel level, and return-air temperature.

Be honest. "No defects" on a DVIR for a tractor with a known leaking wheel seal destroys the carrier's defense in litigation. Note even minor items (a burned-out marker, a slow-leaking glad-hand seal) — minor defects can be cleared by the shop without grounding the unit.

Write a specific description (location, severity, when noticed) in Fleetio / Whip Around / your DVIR app and attach photos. Call dispatch and the shop; a written repair record matched to this DVIR must be retained for at least 3 months per Part 396.11.

Do not move the truck on a public road if a CVSA OOS item is present. Park the unit, tag the keys, and work with dispatch to swap equipment or call a road-service vendor. Note the start of any detention or layover so pay is captured.